The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-12-17
THE LIONS CLAW.

4 Lieut.. Julian de Rhe had returnesl
from. his station In Cochin China in a
sad plight, but now, after three long
months Of illness, he had commenced
to improve and to be able to take tho
air on the terrace overlooking the
Loire, supported by the arm of his
mother OF sister. The fresh air of The
river. however, growing chill with the
approach OF autumn, made the young
man cough and shiver.
'!Eie must winter in warmer eli
mate" the physician had said ''Send
him to Pau, and in three months he
will return to Lorraine and to you,
Nine. la B1arquise. entirely restored.''
This was why Julian de Rhe. leaning
from his SUI lighted window in the
Hotel de Garderes, contemplated the
magnificent panorama OF the Pyrenee5
and smoked the cigarette Of returning
health with 80 much enjoyment. It
seemed to him that he had resumed his
youth and the feelings Of sixteen years.
''TiensI but this pau is full OF 3ively
women,'' said JULIAN to himself, as,
lettering in the sunshine before the
statue Of King Henry on the Place
Royale, he looked about him and list
ened to the trains Of the military band.
Neither coxcomb nor in any sense
a llbertine, our young sailor was
1 blessed not only with strong love for
the beautiful In life, but the vanity Of
his age as we'll, and he hastened TO
seek out and don his uniform, cap apl
jacket, with its three golden stripes and
it's rosette Of the Legion Of Honor,
with pride In which one is never too
old or too i'll to indulge. Some way or
other, Julian was conscious OF an ever
recurring sense Of pleasure that it was
,-s3e - es Ipop ~ which the doctor had set
tied as q measure toward GONZALES
cence. 1t was exquisite, this golden
sunshine which warmed without burn
ing; this azure sky, the enchanting
landscape and distant amphitheatre
hills, their peaks Of snow nesting
among the clouds. Besides. it was
amusing to mingle with the cosmopols
itan crowd, among these beautiful
foreigners, and to listen to them cha.
tering in all the tongues Of Europe,
like the different songs OF tho birds in
an avlary.
Breathing the warm sweet air in
deep full draughts, baslsing In content
ment and constant sun, carefully at
tired, freshly shaved and proud ~ a
boy Of his glittering rosetres. Julian de
Rhe was happy and grateful for The
boon Of life in a world to beautiful.
Throwing pennies to the beggars,
watching with glowing eyes the lovely
women who crossed his path, playing
with the children in their long black
stockings, red shoes and flying skirts,
dancing beneath the trees Of the Pa.
lace Royale, time sped on, the hours
into days and days into weeks and
months.
Enchanting conditions under which
20 fall in love, were they not2 And
shis happy convalescent received the
thunderbolt the day he saw NIL. Olga
Barbarine, the most beautiful girl Of
the Russian colony, descend from her
horse before the door Of the Hotel Gas
sion, where she resided with her
mother. 1t was about O'Clock In the
afternoon. She was returning from q
fox chase, and the five or six red
coated adorers who accompanied her
leaped to the ground, almost upsetting
each other in their eayerness to assist
hex to dlsmount. She let herself glide
andiMerently into the arms Of the first
conner, and stepping into tho veranda
ordered them to serve her with cup
of milk at once, which she drank
where she stood, the graceful curves Of
her slender lgure displayed by the we'll
fitting riding habit, the heavy braids Of
her copper colored hair escaping from
the chimney pot and spreading over her
shoulders a moment later, with q
nod Of dismissal to the galants who
attended her, she passed into the
hotel.
Three days later Julian dc Rhe, who
had spent the Intervening time saying
to his acquaintances, '.Who IS she2 In
pity's name tell me, for am nladiy in
love with her----I adore herl" was pre-
.sented, not q very difficult thing to ac.
compl sh at the house Of the ladies Bar
barine, and at once took his post in the
squadron OF lovers surrounding this
beautiful Russian. But was she Rus
sian, after Gil, this fascinating creature,
B syho since the commencemenv Of the
season cailoped all day AMI waltZed all
nlehts Tes, By her reputed father, the
Count Barbarine, the first husb,nd Of
her mother. though everybody knew
that the Countess Barbarlne was d.
.yorced before tue birth Of thls child,
and for a long time had beon the NOR